What Is a Press Brake?
Have you ever wondered how metal fabricators are able to bend thick sheets of metal without breaking them? Or how intricate metal parts custom designed in a CAD program are actually created? In modern metal fabrication shops, the most commonly used bending and forming tool is the hydraulic press brake.
Press Brakes 101
Bending sheet and plate metal is a job that requires a surprisingly large amount of force. The equipment that is designated to do this job is a press brake, a large pressing tool that bends pieces of metal by exerting thousands of pounds of force on a concentrated zone, forcing the metal to bend. They are typically long and narrow so large pieces of sheet metal can be bent.
To do this, press brakes use what is called a “punch” and a “die.” The die is the hollow, “negative space” part that the metal to be bent is placed on and formed by. The punch is the part that is lowered onto the sheet metal and the die, and presses it into the desired shape. Dies and punches are interchangeable so many types of bends can be performed on metal parts.
Illustration of a punch and die being used by a press brake.
Brief History of Metal Bending
Before press brakes, how did metal fabricators bend metal? Blacksmiths would use a hammer and an anvil, heat up the metal pieces in a forge, and pound out the desired shape. Molds were also used; molten metal was poured into molds to create the desired part. Shaping metal was a dangerous and labor intensive process.
Mechanical Press Brakes
Mechanical press brakes came along in the 1920s and are still in use today in some shops. However, they are not very precise and require a lot of retooling when creating more complex pieces, so they are better suited to occasional projects or bulk amounts of simple pieces that don’t require a high degree of precision. They are also quite a bit more dangerous than modern press brakes, and they are not able to do automated or CNC designs.
Hydraulic Press Brakes
The CNC hydraulic press brake is currently the main tool used by modern metal fabrication shops to bend and shape metal. It uses two synchronized hydraulic cylinders on a frame to press the punch down onto the die. It is much safer than other options, and can be precisely programmed using CNC. These are much safer, more precise, and less labor intensive than past options, and can use thousands of pounds of force to bend sheet metal, metal plates, bars, rods, and more.
Need help with your next project?
If you have any additional questions about the metal fabrication process, or you are looking for a partner for your next project, contact us at Sattler Manufacturing. We have more than 40 years of experience in Nashville and the Southeastern United States, and our helpful team is standing by to assist you with anything you need. We hope to hear from you soon!